Coin control



fi 1953 w. M. BURNSIDE 2,627,961

\ com CONTROL Filed Feb. 1, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 1 60272 Esiiry 6%105671 r/72,5 Mazda Feb. 10, 1953 w, BURNSlDE 2,627,961

COIN CONTROL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 1 1946 alier' .iarwszdlzPatented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE COIN CONTROL Walter M.Burnside, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago, Ill.

This invention pertains to coin handling and control devices, and has asits principal object the provision of fraud-preventive means in thenature of an auxiliary attachment for coin testing chutes.

A further object is the provision of a coin control unit, adapted forattachment as an auxiliary means to a coin testing chute of the gravitytype, and including control means, such as a switch, actuated by a coinreceived in the attachment, and an electromagnetically controlled armfor deflecting the received coin into engagement with the switch, withcircuit connections controlled by the switch to close an operatingcircuit for a coin-controlled device, and also to govern a circuit forthe electromagnetically controlled arm such that the latter will bewithdrawn to permit the coin to move additionally in the coin passage ofthe attachment, together with fraud-preventive means in the nature of aspecial filament or wire-trapping runway adapted to cause captive coins,that is coins having a thread or fine wire connected thereto forpurposes of withdrawal or repeated actuation of the control, to becometrapped and ineflective for such fraudulent operation of the control.

Further objects of the invention are: the provision in a control chuteof the class described of a trapping coin runway directing receivedcoins into engagement with a coin switch or like control device; a coinblocking and deflecting arm normally held by electromagnetic means inoperative position in the coin passage below said runway, such that areceived coin will gravitate down said runway and engage and operatesaid switch; the provision of circuit connections by which a controlleddevice, such as a vending machine or the like will be operated byactuation of said switch; the provision of further circuit connectionsby which the electromagnetic means is controlled to cause withdrawal ofsaid deflecting arm so that the coin may continue progress in the coinpassage, particularly in the direction back and downwardly beneath thelower end of said runway; the provision of trapping formaations in saidrunway which will entrap the thread, string, wire or the like of acaptive coin; the provision of circuit connections by which theelectromagnetic means is again energized after operation of the coinswitch, such that said deflecting arm will be restored to a blockingposition in the coin passage so that a captive coin cannot be retracted;and the provision of auxiliary coin blocking means actuatedcooperatively with the blocking arm to hold following coins in the maincoin testing chute for which the novel control device is an auxiliaryattachment.

Additional objects and aspects of novelty in the invention relate todetails of construction and operation of the illustrative embodimentshown in the annexed drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of the novel control unit inoperative attachment with a schematically shown coin testing chute and aschematically shown controlled device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the control unit;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the control unit with the cover plateremoved;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section along lines 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section along lines 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the novel coin control unit I0 is shown attached bybolt and nut means H, through an integral lug l2 (Fig. 3)' to aprojection 13 on a conventional gravity type coin testing chute It inposition to receive acceptable coins from the latter as they leave theacceptance exit (not seen) in the lower left-hand corner of the testingchute, it being the function of the latter to test coins depositedtherein (at the upper left-hand corner thereof) and to rejectunacceptable coins from one or more reject passages, either at thebottom of the side drop-out chute l5, or in the region It of the lowerright-hand edge portion of said testing chute, in a manner well-known inthe art. 1

The novel control unit, as shown in Fig. 3, includes a main plate 18having attaching lugs 12, I2a, l2b formed as part thereof, and opposite,upset, side flanges l9 and 20, the latter forming, when the cover plateis in position, a chute passage in the unit.

Secured to the main plate, as by spot welding or the like, is adownwardly inclined trapping runway 2| pitched toward side flange ISwith its lower terminus 22 spaced from said flange a distance sufficientto permit a coin to gravitate or drop therepast with an inclinationtoward said side flange.

Formed in said runway are a plurality of notches 23 (see Fig. 4 also),and the lower extent of said runway has its side edge, nearest the coverplate, relieved and angled as at 24 to form, with said cover plate, athread or wiretrapping slot between said angled edge and the cover plate.25.

Mounted on the side flange I9 is a leaf-spring or jack type of switch2'! in which one of the contact springs has a coin-engaging ofiset 2'leat its lower end and projecting through a cut lSa in said flange so asto be engaged by a coin departing from said lower end 22 of the runway.

Spaced inwardly of the chute passage opposite switch offset 212 is acoin blocking and deflecting arm 28, which is situated below terminus 22of the runway and below the level of the notches 23.

As shown in Fig. 2, arm 28 is attached to the armature 29 of anelectromagnet 30, and pivots on frame piece 3! at 32, spring 33 normallyurging said armature into the dotted line position to withdraw said arm28 from the coin passage. The electromagnet is attached by a nut, notseen, in an extruded boss portion at 34 on the cover plate, said nut (oralternatively a screw), threading onto the core portion 35 of theelectromagnet.

When the electromagnet is energized, the blocking arm 28 is projectedinto the chute passage in the full line position shown in Fig. 2, therebeing aligned holes 31 (Fig. 1) in the cover plate 25, and 38 (Fig. 3)in the main plate l8 through which said arm may project and move asaforesaid.

A pair of coin deflectors 4B and 4|, Fig. 1, secured to the main plate.by spot welding, serves to direct coins leaving the control unit througha bottom exit passage 42.

The control unit is completed by application of the cover plate 25,which is held in position by nut and bolt means 25a, said plate beingspaced from the main plate by the notch-forming projections of thetrapping runway, and also by an in-turned edge portion 25b of coverplate 25 located just behind the electromagnet in Fig. 1, but notvisible in the views.

A channel-shaped metal shield 44 is fitted around the switch 21, theshape of this shield being visualized best in the sectional view of Fig.4:, and. portions thereof being variously sectioned in Figs. 1, 2, and3, also, said shield .being held a in position by the same bolt andnutmeans it:v

utilized to mount the switch 2'1. The purpose of this shield is theprevention of access to the switch for fraudulent operation thereof bywire feelers and probes.

A further control means actuated by the novel unit includes (Fig. 1) acoin-blocking feeler 50 rockably carried on a shaft 5| seated in thecoin testing chute l4, and having a small bellcrank 52 exteriorly of thetesting chute rockably connecting with a short link 53 secured as at 54to theelectromagnet armature, such that rocking motion of said armatureimparts corresponding motion to shaft 5| to project or withdraw the coinblocking feeler 50 into the exitv portions of the testing chute.

In the view of Fig. 1, the operation of the blocking feeler is such thatit moves toward the observer out of blocking position; thus, so long asthe electromagnet is energized, the crank leverages will project theblocking feeler into nonblocking position so that a coin may leave thetesting chute exit and enter the control unit to actuate the controlswitch, whereupon the electromagnet is momentarily tie-energized so thatthe blocking feeler 52 moves into coin-blocking position to blocktransfer of further coins to the control unit until the preceding coinhas cleared the switch to permit closing of the electromagnet switchcontacts again for projection of the main blocking and deflecting arm 28into normal operative position, otherwise it might be 4 possible tocause faulty operation of the unit by a succession of immediatelyfollowing coins, one of which, for example, could miss the switchoperating projection 21c altogether due to absence of the deflectingportion 28.

Circuit connections for the control unit are shown in Fig. 1, whereinthe terminals 65 and 61 of the electromagnet are connected by conductors60a and Gill; to normally closed contacts 27a and 211) on coin switch21, conductor 60b having in series therewith a power source or battery62 and master switch E3, which is closed while the apparatus is inoperation so that the electromagnet is normally energized through closedcontacts 22a, 271), until a coin strikes the projection 21c of contact2142, separating the latter from contact 2719 and de-energizing theelectromagnet.

When switch 21 is coin operated as aforesaid. normally open contacts 210and 21d are closed to actuate the controlled device 535 from its powersource or battery 65, said controlled device being optionally a vendingmachine, amusement or service device.

Summary of operation Having in mind the detailed operation of parts andcircuit means hereinabove described, the general operation of the deviceis as follows: In Fig. 1, a coin is deposited in the testing chute M andgravitates in the general direction of the arrows through said chute toleave the latter in the region of the lower left-hand corner thereof,assuming said coin to be good or acceptable; otherwise such coin wouldbe rejected from the lower right-hand region iii of said testing chute.

At this time, there is assumed to be no coin in the control unit i0, sothat switch contacts 21a and 21b are closed to energize electromagnet30, as a result of which the deflecting arm 28 is projected into thechute passage of the control unit, While the auxiliary blocking feeler5!! is withdrawn from the testing chute passage to permit the depositedcoin to travel into the control unit.

Upon entering the control unit, said deposited coin drops onto thetrapping runway 21 and departs from the latter in the manner of the coinC shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thence to drop in between thedeflecting arm 28 and switch portion 226, in the manner of the coin C2,thereby opening contacts 21a, 27b to de-energize the elec tromagnet, andclosing contacts 210 and 27a. to operate the controlled device orvending machine. Thereafter, in normal operation, said coin would dropagainst deflectors 48 and/or 4! and out the exit passage 42 into asuitable collecting receptacle, not shown.

At the time the coin C2 operates the switch 2! as aforesaid, theelectromagnet becomes momentarily de-energized, causing operation of thecrank and shaft means 5!, 52, 53 (Fig. 1) so that the auxiliary blockingfeeler 50 is projected into blocking position in the testing chute topevent another coin from immediately following into. the control unituntil coin C2 has had time to clear switch 21 Assuming now an attemptedfraudulent operation of the apparatus by a captive coin, which may alsobe represented by the coin G2 with a fine thread or wire W attachedthereto, such coin could reach the position of coin C2 and 0perateswitch 27, but as soon as the blocking deflector 28 is withdrawnresponsive to de-energization of the electromagnet, such coin would dropin a general direction toward the lower deflector 4|, that is, towardthe lower end of the trapping runway, and the thread W would tend towork into the angled trapping slot at 24, Fig. 4; meanwhile, theblocking deflector will have returned to normal position, so thatattempts to retract the captive coin cause deflection of the same towardthe right and toward the slots 23, and the more effort is made to liftthe coin out, the greater is the movement of the coin toward the right,by reason of the pitch of the trapping runway, so that the thread orwire W is almost certain to become trapped in one of the notches 23; butwhether it does or not, the coin remains trapped to the right ofdeflector 28 and beneath the runway 21.

The path of a coin through the testing chute is an alternate or tortuousone, so that about the only motion which can be imparted to the captivecoin is in a generally upward or retractive direcportion 21s to causerepeated operations of the vending machine or the like, 65, were it notfor the blocking action of arm 28.

In general, the trapping function of the notches 23 prevents recovery ofthe captive coin by withdrawal, and usually such a coin will drop intothe collecting means if the thread or wire W is light enough, as it mustbe for the attached coin to negotiate the testing chute without beingrejected thereby; and it follows that such coin must be a genuine one toavoid such rejection.

Thus, the control unit prevents more than one operation of thecontrolled instrumentality or vending machine by a captive coin; it alsoprevents recovery of a captive coin but in general permits such coin todrop from the control unit once it is trapped and released by themanipulator.

Trapping means analogous to the runway means 2l-23 are shown in theapplication of Nels A. Nelson, Serial No. 611,544, filed August 20,1945, now Patent No. 2,539,855, issued January 30, 1951.

It should also be observed that one of the use-j ful advantages of thehorizontally offset switch,

deflector, and runway means, with upward offset of the runway, also,resides in the fact that it is,"

virtually impossible to impart any horizontal swing to a captive coinsufiicient to carry thecaptive coin back to the switch past thedeflector 1 even though the deflector may be momentarily withdrawn bysubsequent deposit of a good, free coin for the sole purpose of gettingit out of 5 way, as is possible with many prior types of trappingdeflectors.

Another advantage of the disclosed structure is the fact that a captivecoin, abandoned in the chute and left hanging, does not necessarily disable the machine against operation by legitimate coins, because suchcaptive coin will generally be lodged close up beneath the runway, or ina position substantially below or at one side of the Having thusdescribed my invention forpur- "poses of disclosure in Letters Patent,what I claim is:

1. In a coin chute, a captive-coin trap comprising a chute section intowhich a coin gravitates, a switch to be operated by a said coin, a

movable deflector spaced from said switch such that a coin ofpredetermined diameter lodged between the same and said switch willactuate the latter, means yieldingly urging the deflector out ofdeflecting position, electromagnetic means in a circuit normally closedby said switch to hold said deflector in deflecting position, and a cointrap including at least a runway portion angled downward toward saiddeflector and switch with a lower terminus disposed above and away fromsaid deflector on the side of the latter away from said switch, afilament trapping formation in said chute section adjacent said runway,and the lat- .ter and said deflector in normal position cooperating totrap a captive coin and prevent retraction thereof upwardly therepast,

2. In an anti-captive coin control, a coin-operated switch, a guidedirecting coins downward- 1y toward said switch, a movable deflectorspaced horizontally opposite from said switch and below said guide,coins from the latter passing down between said deflector and switch toengage and actuate the latter, means controlled by said switch normallymoving said deflector into deflecting position, means acting responsiveto coinoperation of said switch for withdrawing said deflector fromdeflecting position, connections through said switch for actuating acontrolled instrumentality responsive to coin-operation thereof, saiddeflector positioned relative to said guide to permit a captive coin togravitate beneath the guide and away from the switch and the deflectorwhen the deflector is withdrawn as aforesaid, and to block retractivemovement of said coin from beneath the guide and into operativeengagement with said switch and a captive coin filament trap spaced fromsaid deflector on the side thereof away from said switch.

3. A coin chute mechanism for preventing fraudulent switch operations bycaptive coins, said mechanism comprising a coin chute having adownwardly directed coin guide with a lower terminus directing a coininto a confined space permitting a coin to gravitate freely on oppositesides of a vertical line spaced away from said terminus in the directionof downward coin travel, a coin switch spaced from said terminus on aside of said line remote from the terminus, a movable deflector situatedbelow said terminus and opposite said switch a distance to cause adescending coin of certain diameter to engage and operate the switch, aspring normally urging the deflector into non-deflecting position andlaterally out from between the switch and said terminus so that a coinmay gravitate downwardly and away from the switch in a general senseback toward and beneath said terminus; electromagnetic means normallyenergized by a circuit closed by said switch to move the deflector intodeflecting position, whereby a coin descending between the deflector andswitch will actuate the latter and cause momentary withdrawal of thedeflector by the spring and subsequent restoration of the deflector todeflecting position upon movement of the coin away from the switch andtoward said terminus, as aforesaid, said deflector in restoreddeflecting position blocking backward movement of said coin against theswitch for any repeated actuation thereof, a captive coin thus '7blocked being: trapped between the restored-de fiector and said terminusregion of the guide; said switch including circuit control contacts fora controlled instrumentality.

4. In a coin chute including a chute passage occupying a vertical planewith a coin entrance at an uppermost level therein, a switch having anoperating member exposed in the chute passage to be engaged by a coinedgewise therein, a movable deflector projecting into said passage andspaced horizontally from said operating member to be engaged by oppositeedgewise portions of a coin of certain diameter engaged with theoperating member as aforesaid; electromagnetic means normally energizedby a circuit controlled by said switch to position said deflectornormally opposite said operating member for coin operation of the latteras aforesaid; a spring operable to withdraw the deflector when saidelectromagnetic means is deenergized by coin-operation of said switch;coin-guide means in the chute above said operating member and deflectorand offset in a horizontal sense from both of the latter in the sameparticular direction away from the switch and deflector to guide a coinin between the same; said offset coin-guide means being positioned anddirected to cause a captive coin to gravitatingly swing in ahorizontally onset sense in said particular direction from a positionbetween the operating member and deflector,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 412,469 Cochran Oct. 8, 1889452,068 Ashwell May 12, 1891 525,623 Root Sept. 4, 1894 659,533 KannOct. 9, 1900 777,525 Long Dec. 13, 1904 1,584,414 Whalen May 11, 19261,757,801 Higgins, Jr. May 6, 1930 1,933,686 Sharpnack Nov. 7, 19331,950,361 Lindberg Mar. 6, 1 934 1,966,413 Long July 10, 1934 2,189,740Mills Feb. 6, 1940 2,323,255 Sutherland June 29, 1943 2,360,241 KuhlOct. 10, 1944 2,392,511 Thompson et al Jan. 8, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 24,528/1899 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1900

